


We ain't there yet.

by lsem



Category: Mafia (Video Games)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-19
Updated: 2018-04-14
Packaged: 2018-11-16 06:28:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 16,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11248212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lsem/pseuds/lsem
Summary: A series of one-shots(or maybe two-shots) involving Lincoln Clay and Cassandra.





	1. Chapter 1

Sometimes Lincoln needs a place to stay, to get away from it all, he never expected Cassandra's place to be a positive respite. Going back to Sammy's...that's just not a possibility right now. The burned husk of a building doesn't leave much besides a few photos, a decent bed, a safe and too many memories. Cassandra silently tends to her shop, greets customers by name, the same customers who shuffle past him muttering apologies about Sammy and Ellis. 

Sometimes he falls asleep to the soft sound of jazz and the delicate turning of pages from a worn bible. Other times he can't sleep, nightmares eat at him and he relives memories of simpler times, times before Sal killed his family, before he came home and that's another nightmare all in itself. War does terrible things to people, but worse things when you're good at what you do, and horrific things when you're great at getting others to do terrible things for you. But that doesn't compare to this betrayal, never will. 

"Problem?" Cassandra asked, the question was followed by a sharp turning of her page. 

"What makes you think that?" Lincoln asked. 

"Sitting over there twitchin' and what not." Cassandra said, she hadn't looked up at him, she rarely did unless he was in the talking mood and that was rare these days. "And every time you're here you have nightmares."

"I was in the war."

"I know." Cassandra said in that special way of hers, it was double talk. She knew he was in the war, his gear was obvious along with the dog tags hanging around his neck. But she knew many things about him, probably even things he didn't know about himself and didn't want to. That was fine, would have to be, this was a truce for now. Besides, the enemy of his enemy would always be his friend, not that John would agree with that saying at all.

"I have lots of dreams."

"I've met many soldiers, Mr. Clay, and they don't never come in here looking the way you do when you sleep." She said and reached up stroking her locket, she had never opened it in front of him but he knew there was someone dear to her inside, she had told him it had been her sister and he had nothing to disprove that. Cassandra had lost and hurt just as he did, had lost someone close to her heart, her sister was gone just like Sammy and Ellis were. Come to think of it, he rarely saw her sleep, he wondered if it was because she didn't trust him or because she was haunted by the faces she saw when she closed her eyes too. "It gets better."

"It does?" He asked and without looking she reached over and touched his hand, holding it in her own.

"It does." She said and sighed deeply as if bothered by something, he wished Cassandra wasn't always so unreadable. "But people like you and me, we need to make those people who hurt us hurt back."

"And now that Ritchie Doucet is dead?"

"We'll have that conversation when Sal Marcano is six feet under." She said and had yet to move her hand, and so they sat like that for a while, soft jazz playing while she turned the page every once in a while. It was comforting, definitely something he never expected to find in a VooDoo shop. He never thought the person he had come to kill would be the very person to try to keep the nightmares away, even for just a few hours.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lincoln and Cassandra end another day together and talk about a few things.

"Emmanuel is...nice?" Lincoln said as he stepped into the room at her shop, Cassandra had been standing near the window and turned to him with that unnerving look on her face. It wasn't a smile, it wasn't a smirk but it was something he couldn't put his finger on entirely.

"Takes a moment for him to warm up to ya."

"It'd be easier to warm up to a gator." Lincoln said.

"Do you want to eventually argue about the Hollow and Sammy or do you want to talk about something else?" Cassandra asked, it was the most sensible line of thinking. Emmanuel didn't hate Lincoln but he wouldn't be the first man at his wedding anytime soon. At the time he figured going after Baka was easiest for his father, for Sammy, still, all his actions had repercussions and had a rippled effect that he never expected to feel.

"Between killing rednecks, dealing with 'gators, swamp flies and bayou water I'd rather do it all again rather than argue." He said and took a seat at the foot of the bed toeing off his boots and shrugging off jacket and sending it flying to the couch. "But enough about work."

"Was that a joke? Does Lincoln Clay actually have a personality underneath that Uniform?"

"A lot more than personality underneath the uniform, if you're interested." He said and patted the spot on the bed beside him, she made her way patiently over to him. Every step Cassandra made seem to be calculated, she was patient, making him wait as she watched him watch her from the bed. Lincoln Clay knew he wasn't the world's most charming man but women had moved a bit faster to get into bed with him, but not Cassandra, she was going to make him wait, drive him insane, that was probably her entire angle. 

"You wouldn't be here if I wasn't." She said and slipped into the spot beside him, he wrapped one arm around her slowly watching her face for any apprehension before pulling her close to him. 

"They say it's not good to mix business and pleasure."

"And here I thought you were a man of the world. If this is pleasurable for you then you need to get out more often."

"I'm spending too much time out there, the closer I get to Sal, the farther away I feel."

"What do you mean?" She asked, she had an completely curious look on her face. Every move she made was planned and not one hair was out of place, it was strange to see her look so open. It was even more strange for him to remain that way with her. 

"What happens after all this?" He said and looked up at her, something softened in her eyes for a moment but before he could pinpoint it it was gone. "After I'm all done, after Giorgi and Sal are gone, then what?"

"Worry about that when you get there. It's not bad to plan for the future but it's hell to worry about it." She said and wrapped an arm around him as well.

"Anyone ever tell you you're smart?"

"No one has had to tell me, I already know." She said, he could barely keep his eyes open. He had been on his feet all day, exhaustion and playing Soldier out in that deadly New Bordeaux heat was catching up with him, he had been lucky so far but luck could only take him so far. He'd need to be reasonable, not wear himself so thin, and indulge in small pleasures when he could. If that meant laying with the Voodoo Queen's arms around him then so be it. 

"Just imagine what I would have been missing out on if I killed you." Lincoln said.

"That's funny," Cassandra said and yawned, there was no sarcasm this time when she spoke to him. "I was just thinking the same thing."


	3. Poker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lincoln goes against Emmanuel's honest and firm suggestion that you never play poker with the Voodoo Queen.

There's two things the entire Haitian gang in New Bordeaux know, Cassandra isn't to be fucked with and you don't play poker with her. Still, Lincoln Clay has been lucky so far, so it's no surprise when he agrees to strip poker. The man oozes arrogance and is filled with praise far too often, his poker face was good but Cassandra's is better. 

"This is strip poker, Lincoln." Cassandra said, "We're playing for clothes."

"If you wanted me out of my clothes all you had to do is ask." He said as he pulled up a chair across from her.

"This was your idea." Cassandra said and looked at him over the top of her cards and watched expectantly as he tossed down his dogtags on the table. "Well it's a start."

"You sound pretty confident like you're going to win."

"I knew the odds when I came into this and they were always in my favor." She said, and slowly stripped him of his clothes. First it was his jacket, then his glasses, his belt and each shoe string from his boots before finally claiming both of his boots. At the end of it all he was left in just a pair of briefs. "You wanna call it a night?"

"Games not over yet, thought you wanted all my clothes."

"No, not all of them, I'd like to leave you with some dignity and leave a little bit to the imagination."

"The Voodoo Queen is a gracious one and thinks about me in my underwear, I'll have to write that down in my diary tonight." Lincoln said, "But I've been counting your cards for you and there's no way you have anything decent left. I'll at least get that pretty locket from you."

"Well the key to winning ain't playing fair, rarely is."

"Figured that out when you took my pants." He said.

"You really want me to send you home naked as the day you were born?"

"It'd give your boys a good laugh, maybe restore some trust."

"My boys trust me." Cassandra said defensively, it was the first time he had heard her sound like anything besides militant and look like anything but picture of calm cool and collected. 

"Living and working with the man who killed a bunch of their gang can't exactly sit right with them, wouldn't sit right with me either. If Sammy started living with the haitians after what happened I'd have a big problem with that too."

"Well you're not me and this ain't that, besides, I think you trying to tell me in a nice way that you let me win." Cassandra said and smiled at him from the tops of her cards. 

"I've played a bit of cards with everyone, and I've never seen anything like this." Lincoln said and looked down at his cards one final time before looking back at her. "Ready?"

"Whenever you are, Mr. Clay." She said and he was surprised to see he had taken the final hand, it had earned him a single hair tie from Cassandra. 

"Hard to believe you let me win." Lincoln said while grabbing his beer, he downed whatever was left before reaching for his clothes.

"Woah, soldier. Hold on now, the clothes stay. We play for keeps here. You can take the walk of shame like everybody else." Cassandra said and slapped away his hands. Lincoln looked at her long and hard before finally shrugging and grabbing the hair tie she had tossed on the table and headed out the door. A series of jeers and taunts greeted him at the door along with a group of high pitched laughter. Cassandra made her way to the door watching Lincoln get into a car waiting for him, Emmanuel came up behind her and placed his hand on her shoulder. 

"You let him win."

"He cheated at the end." Cassandra said and looked back to Emmanuel. "Used his words about you and the boys not trusting me to throw me off. Nearly naked as the day he was born and he pulled those cards out of thin air."

"So you finally have competition, then?"

"Lincoln Clay? No. We've dealt with bigger than him, Lieutenant." Cassandra said and led Emmanuel inside, "Now let's decide what to do with the rest of the Dixie Mafia down in the Bayou..."


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lincoln and Cassandra get to know each other a little better.

When Lincoln arrived Cassandra was still in the shop. It was late and it appeared that she was packing up the last of her things for the day. A series of dried herbs and roots were in a box on the counter. He closed the door and immediately gained her attention.

"Lost?" Cassandra asked.

"No, just need a minute to lay low." Lincoln said, "What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"The Hollow is silent."

"Can't always be shoot outs and bank robberies." Cassandra said, "Sometimes folk like to sleep and help their kids with their homework from time to time. Besides, what did you think I did? Killed them all, or cast some magical spell and turned them to the living dead?"

"I didn't mean it like that, you just....you keep your ears to the street... you'd know if something is wrong."

"Something is wrong."

"And what's that?"

"You."

"What do you mean?" He said defensively.

"Shoulders all slumped, face tore up, looking like somebody killed your puppy." Cassandra said and placed the last of the tonics and herbs in a box before locking it up. 

"Just another long day." He said.

"Can't be that."

"And how the hell would you know that?" Lincoln asked raising his voice slightly, Cassandra threw him that damned playful look from over her shoulder before focusing on the cabinet where she was placing her things. 

"You're used to long days, maybe even longer nights. Something or somebody done got into your head, I can see it." Cassandra said and walked towards him, he thought she was going to come and stand in front of him, give him that battle of wills where they just stared at one another until one of them broke, typically him, but instead she surprised him and looked away only to open the door. "Great night for fresh air."

"That your way of telling me to get out?"

"Not at all." Cassandra said and grabbed his hand, tugging him outside with a bit more force and strength than he imagined she had. Cassandra didn't make a habit of touching many people, he had seen her handle everything carefully, even her men. He was more shocked at the contact than the strength on any given day of the week. "Was it the Father?"

"What makes you say that?" Lincoln asked, he leaned against the side of the building. A bit of life had been given back to the Hollow since they did away with the Dixie Mafia, he could hear a few people chatting in the distance as the dull sound of jazz playing a few blocks away finally reached them. Cassandra came and stood in front of him, giving him that puzzling look, as if she were trying to read him, squinting her eyes and giving him that nerve wracking smile that set butterflies in his stomach. What the hell was wrong with him and what the hell was it about her that made him act and think like a teenage boy? 

"Emmanuel was a well respected Priest before fleeing Haiti. He had some...reservations... about what it is we do now, and from time to time I see that look on his face not to mention the speeches he gives."

"I don't think 'Manny would appreciate you comparing us in anyway."

"And he wouldn't appreciate the nickname either." Cassandra said as they stood outside the Voodoo shop, the Hollow was eerily quiet but it was a Sunday night. Most people had had a good meal in them and either wanted to spend time with their family or find a place to sleep. "That's just to say... I know when God, no matter how they come to you, gets in your head and your heart."

"Before Sammy there was Father James." Lincoln said while watching the glow of the homes in the surrounding areas. It had been so long since he had a home, a place to call his own, Sammy and Ellis had been that for him for a while and just like everything else in his life it was snatched out of his hands. "I can't recall much from my mother, but Father James he just..." He was getting frustrated talking about it all, let alone with Cassandra. She was nothing if not a thorough mastermind, could his words and moment of weakness be used against him later? The main question niggling at him was if he would let her? Listening to the way she psychoanalyzed him just like those quacks up at Langley. Maybe that was what it was, there was something disturbingly over professional about her, he felt out of his depth while she seemed perfectly calm in her own skin.

"He was there first and you love him, you listen to him, nothing wrong with that. The ones closest to us make us think the hardest about ourselves." Cassandra said placing her hand on his forearm, he hadn't even realized he had looked away from her but he was looking at her now. Yes, going to see Father James had struck other things in his heart, who was he not just as a citizen but as a man? Did he have a code of honor and what would he have left over to get him in control again? Did he ever really leave the war behind or simply trade one hell for another? Why could Cassandra see it so easily when everyone else either couldn't or chose to ignore it? 

His pondering must have set Cassandra on edge, he's not really sure what happened but just that she was kissing him. It's enough to cause his mind to go blank for a moment, and it's all he really needs. There's no Father James, No Sal and Giorgi Marcano to kill, there's just him and Cassandra outside the Voodoo shop on a warm night in the Hollow. He won't lie and say it hasn't been a while for him, there's been women but the way he's been running around this city and the hell he's been raising, they all look the other way when they see him. Father James only wanted him to look deep within himself and see what type of man he was.

He knew which type of man he was, a weak one. A man who gave into his basest desires, he thought as he wrapped one arm around Cassandras waist pulling her closer. They were kissing like teenagers, slow, passionate nipping that soon dissipated soft pecks accompanied by curious hands as they held onto one another like this was their first kiss. 

"What was that for?" He asked.

"I know you wanted to do this." She said and Lincoln smirked at her, she at least had the courtesy to blush before speaking again, "Not that, I mean, going after that motherfucker Sal Marcano, but that don't mean folks shouldn't worry about you. And you got all crazy eyed like...someone I used to know."

"Did he like to be kissed too?" Lincoln asked.

"What makes you assume it was a man?"

"Color me impressed if it ain't." He said and she hit him playfully on his chest before raking his fingernails down his chest gently and looking up at him. 

"All that is to say I know the look, and we need you here, don't want to lose you to the craziness in those streets but also don't want to lose you to the craziness in there." Cassandra reached up and tapped the side of his head., her finger grazing against the scar.

"And who do you have for when things get too crazy in there?" Lincoln asked, as clinical and professional as Cassandra could be he imagined it had to get too much. After all she was a woman, and there weren't many women out here doing what she was doing and getting away with it. Where was her paranoia, fear and spiritual guidance? Who was the Voodoo Queen underneath it all and did she have a code of honor?

"I'm fine." She said and before the words left her mouth he could see those cold steel walls slam into place that separated the girl who Cassandra once was and the Boss she was now. She had to be this way and it had to be this way too.

"I thought we were going to stop lying to each other?" Lincoln said and Cassandra wrestled herself out his grip and put a bit of space between them. Whatever had happened or was going to happeng, it was gone as quickly as it formed. "None of us are fine, Cassandra. But if you want to talk, I'm always here."

"I know, Lincoln, but... later." She said and wrapped her arms around herself as if suddenly cold in the brazenly warm city of New Bordeaux. 

"So I can count on you when the things get crazy?"

"It's not a service, Lincoln." She said and swatted at him one last time before opening the door to the shop, "But if you do need me, I'm here."


	5. A late date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lincoln and Cassandra sit down to dinner, Lincoln calls it a date but Cassandra isn't sure he's ready to call it that.

Lincoln had come in and expected a quiet evening, hadn't expected Cassandra to be preparing dinner. So he stood there for a moment watching her move around until she finally said something.

"What is it, Lincoln?"

"Every man's dream to come home to a homecooked meal."

"You men should start dreaming bigger." She said and then nodded her head allowing him inside her kitchen. "You better not think this is a date."

"Why not? Good people, good food, conversation. Besides business partners should get to know one another."

"Business partners should never know one another." She said and turned off the burner on the stove.

"You might just be scared that I might get to know you."

"You know enough." Cassandra said, "That nosey little white boy is one thing, having you here in my house, in my kitchen asking questions is another thing."

"So you know about him?"

"Enough." Cassandra said, "I keep my ears to the street, put out enough to keep him guesing."

"A woman who can throw Jay off her tracks? You're really after my heart, aren't you."

"You have a gate around your heart." Cassandra said and placed a plate of warm food in front of him.

"And you don't?" He asked but never received an answer, she only placed a fork full of food into her mouth and gave him that piercing look, was she being coy or was she going to stab him, he was never really sure where they stood. Cassandra was an enigma but he did enjoy the time he spent with her, even moments like these where she knew she was fucking with him he enjoyed it.

"How was your day?"

"My what?"

"Your day. What types of things did you do?"

"You first." He said and she obliged, telling him about the Dixie Mafia brothers she found skulking around the shop, the people she helped and what she was working on, the new cache of weapons she found and how all her heroics had left her both exhausted and hungry.

"... And then you showed up and decided I needed company and tried to eat me out of house and home."

"Better me than anyone else, right?" He said, he watched her confused by his question.

"Anyone else like who?"

"Pick someone." Lincoln said.

"You're awful full of yourself, Mr. Clay."

"Well you haven't poisoned me yet." Lincoln said, "Maybe I'm still lucky."

"Maybe." She said and made her way to clear their plates from the table after they finished eating but Lincoln insisted on clearing the table. Cassandra headed up stairs and stepped out on the porch overlooking the Hollow. This is where they had shoved the people they didn't want tarnishing their image of New Bordeaux. This is where her people were, maybe if Lincoln wasn't Sammy's son he could see that Sammy was content to lick boots if it meant he wasn't hurt in the end, that he would gladly sacrifice the entire Hollow.

"Got that look in your eye again."

"What look?"

"Like you're scheming." Lincoln said and saddled up beside her, leaning and looking over the Hollow.

"I don't scheme, I plot."

"What's the difference?"

"Petty thieves and children scheme--"

"Queens plot?"

"Glad to see the Army didn't just take you in because of that pretty face. Got some good ideas going on in that head of yours every now and again."

"Sometimes, going after Sal seems like one of the less bright ones."

"Hey," Cassandra said and placed her hand on his shoulder, "Sal brought this on himself. Now don't ruin our date with all the sap talk. Tell me what it was like growing up in the Hollow."

"I didn't always live in the Holllow, I used to live in an orphanage, but when that shut down I made my way over here." He said starting his story, it was nice to unwind with someone who he knew was actually listening. Cassandra was a strategist if nothing else, every piece of information was detrimental, if they weren't constantly on opposing sides and if they could just see eye to eye for once on Sammy and the Hollow maybe something more could come of this, of them.

"I'm sorry about what happened to Sammy and Ellis, no one deserves to have their family stripped from them."

"Thanks." He said and stood up straight looking to her. "So..."

"So what?" She asked and turned heading inside the shop.

"I spill my soul and I don't get anything in return."

"My real name."

"What about it?"

"It's Cassandra."

"Well, that's a start." He said, he wasn't sure if he entirely believed her but if they were going to do this he was going to have to dole out a little faith. "Do I get a kiss goodnight?"

"On the first date?"

"So we're dating now?" Lincoln asked.

"Dinner was nice, Mr. Clay." Cassandra said as she headed towards the door, "Maybe next time take me out somewhere."

"Not ashamed to be seen with me?"

"If I was you'd know."


	6. Here, take my jacket.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lincoln lends his jacket to Cassandra but doesn't find himself missing it too much, besides, it looks better on her, or he thinks so at least.

Lincoln remembered when he let Cassandra borrow his jacket. It had been a week ago but every time he saw it draped over her shoulders he knew it looked better on her than it ever had on him. He was uncomfortable with how comfortable he was with the idea of her with his name on the left side of her chest. He’d come to visit and found her within the garage.

“That’s nice.” Lincoln said as he went within the wardrobe looking for a fresh shirt. 

“What?” She asked as she poured over her plans.

“My jacket.”

“You want it back?”

“Looks good on you.”

“All men think the same.”

“And just what are all of us men thinking about this time?” Lincoln asked.

“The Hollow thinks we’re dating, keeps a few of the people from opening their mouths up about Haitians too. So I wear it even when it’s hot, or I leave it out in the shop.”

“Using me for protection?” Lincoln asked as he turned to look at her, she hadn’t looked up from her work, only made a few marks and notes in the margin before circling a few key points on the paper. 

“Would you be mad if I was?”

“No, I’m always glad to be of service.”

“And it  does smell like you too.”

“Is that a bad thing?” He asked and pretended to sniff himself.

“It’s not a bad smell.” She said. 

“Well as long as you’re not sleeping with it.”

“And if I was?” Cassandra asked, she stopped making marks and just hovered above the papers.

“I’d get jealous.” Lincoln said and moved to stand beside her. “Why keep the jacket when you can have the real thing next to you at night?”

“Anybody tell you you’re awfully full of yourself?” 

“Just you, Mrs. Clay, or at least that’s what the Hollow will be calling you pretty soon.” He said and finally got her full attention, he expected her to scowl or fuss at him but she only gave him a lopsided grin. 

“Take your jacket back, that’s enough teasing.” Cassandra said and started to slip it off her shoulders when he stopped her.

“I’m not teasing.” Lincoln said and took the jacket and placed it back around her shoulders, he smoothed it down her shoulders a few times. It was easy to forget that Cassandra was so much smaller and softer than he is, with her voice and wit she stood out in the room like a giant.  “It looks good on you.”

“The jacket?”

“My last name.”

“You need to hurry back and get to dealing with Sal instead of in here messing with me.” Cassandra said but she hadn’t taken off the jacket. 

“Yes, dear.” He said and hopped into the car before Cassandra could throw something at him. A part of him had been teasing but the more he saw her with the damned jacket on he noticed he did like it on her. Perla wouldn’t have appreciated his teasing, and probably would have found some common ground with Cassandra. He tried to wipe all of that from all thoughts and memories of Perla and Cassandra from his mind but Cassandra Clay did have a nice ring to it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I liked the idea of Lincoln teasing Cassandra. I should be in bed but this idea attacked me so hopefully you all like it. I also like the idea of Perla embracing Cassandra and taking her side.


	7. Nosy Parker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra is going grocery shopping but it can't just be that, right? It has to be something more?

Lincoln hadn't expected to find Cassandra within her garage. She paused when she saw him but only gave him that coy smile as if she had a lie waiting on the tip of her tongue. He had come to get some rest but upon seeing her dressed in black jeans and a black t-shirt he knew she was going out and was immediately interested in where she might be going. He'd only seen her dressed like that one other time and that was when they had meetings and he was more than sure he hadn't called one lately. 

"Where are you going?"

"Shopping." She said and tried to walk around him but he blocked her path. 

"For guns?"

"For food. It would be nice to live off vengeance alone but I do have to eat food from time to time." She said, Lincoln looked back behind him where one of the men were waiting near the car. "Are you going to step out of the way or carry me to the store yourself?"

"I don't mind taking you." He said and watched as Cassandra walked past him, he expected her to get in the car and drive off. Instead one of her men looked at him closely before shrugging and heading inside the shop. Cassandra sat in the passenger side of the car for a moment before looking at him over the top of her sunglasses.

"Are you coming or am I going to have to drive myself?" She asked, Lincoln hurried over to the car and headed to the grocery store not too far from her home. As they pulled up in front of the shop Lincoln gave her a long look. "What is it?"

"You're just getting food." He said as if he couldn't believe it, it wouldn't be hard for her to pull the wool over his eyes but it would be a tad bit difficult if he was prepared. 

"If you're going to have an attitude you can wait in the car." Cassandra said and left the car quickly heading into the shop. Maybe he was being paranoid? She was a woman and she probably did tons of things when he wasn't there. However, Lincoln's curiosity beat out his need to protect her privacy  and he left the car parked in front of the store. He looked around once  he was inside the stop-and-shop but he hadn't seen her, on his second once over of the store he saw her leaving the back office. "Spying on me?"

"Doesn't look like much shopping is going on."

"Had to drop something off if you must know." She said as she closed the door behind her. 

"What was it?" Lincoln asked.

"Some herbs for Leroy's wife."

"So what are you going to buy?" Lincoln asked as he leaned against the tiny shopping cart.

"You're awful nosy for a man who supposedly has finger on the pulse of city."

"Don't quite have my finger on you yet."

"It's better that way, leaves a bit of the mystery."

"Not all men are about the chase, Cassandra."

"I'll believe it when I see it." She said and directed him down one of the aisles. He watched as she gathered a can of beans here, some salsa there, and moved around the aisle with practiced ease he hadn't seen in a while. "What are we eating for dinner?"

"Depends. Am I cooking or are you?" Lincoln asked.

"I guess I better cook. Heaven forbid you get in my kitchen and get to snooping around." She said as she fretted over the price of bread, she struggled with getting the name brand or generic. It was nice to see the not-so-business oriented side of her.

"Scared I might find a severed head in the refrigerator?"

"As if." Cassandra said and scoffed as she placed two boxes of rice inside the cart, "I keep those in the deep freezers out back."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm pretty sure Cassandra does normal mundane things but with her as one of Lincoln's lieutenants he can probably imagine she gets up to business oriented tasks. Even Cassandra has to eat right?


	8. Feel better

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lincoln isn't sure how he ends up in the Hollow, but he's sure glad that he's there.

Lincoln Clay had been sitting in her shop for Gods knew how long. He was sick, he'd never admit to it but he had the chills, the runny nose, and an oddly adorable sneeze. She never expected a man his size to have such a small sounding sneeze. What wasn't adorable was him scaring away potential business so she walked up to him reluctantly and held out her hand.

"What?"

"You're sick."

"I'm fine, just a little dizzy."

"And you're dizzy because you're sick, now get it together." Cassandra said and held out his hand. "I'd rather do this while you can still walk rather than have the entire Hollow talking about how I dragged your unconscious body upstairs."

"No one would talk about..." He started and then sneezed, covering his mouth with his hand. Cassandra didn't want to question what that wet sound was that came from the middle of his face, she only turned around and began walking. Soon enough Lincoln followed, she was glad this house had a hand rail or she wasn't sure how he would have made it, he stumbled a few times and cursed under his breath but eventually made it to the main landing. 

Lincoln had never been inside Cassandra's bedroom, he didn't want to ask, didn't want her to get the wrong idea about what exactly it was he was after. Still, he was curious, he didn't see much as he stepped inside. There had been a large bed in the center of the room, sweet smelling incents, dressers along the cream colored wall along with a small book case and a ceiling fan. Then he passed out, meeting the floor fast and hard, when he came to he was actually in her bed, he was surprised she hadn't left him on the floor

"Finally awake?" Cassandra said, it hurt but he turned his head to the sound of her voice. She was sitting beside him reading what appeared to be the bible. 

"How long was I out?"

"About seven hours, you were running a fever and Father James brought some medicine and this." Cassandra said and showed him the black, bound book.

"You don't seem worried at all."

"You're lucky, no one can take that from you. To think some crazy white boy shot you in the face and all it takes is a little cold to knock you down." Cassandra said but she didn't laugh, "That or you've been swimming through the Bayou and caught something."

"Let's just call it a cold." He said and felt another sneeze coming on, Cassandra handed him the tissue and he took it gratefully. Why was she being so damned nice when he showed up on her door step sick and clearly out of his mind? He tried to remember how he got here but couldn't. 

"I made you some soup."

"Gonna feed it to me?" He asked, his head still hurt along with every muscle in his body but he was starving. He wasn't sure how he ended up back in the Hollow but he was grateful for whatever led him here. 

"Do you need me to?" She asked and placed the book down on the nightstand.

"Can't say I'm back at the top of my game." He said, she lifted the small bowl of broth and gathered some up on the shiny silver spoon. No one had treated him like this since he was a boy, Perla would feed him when he managed to hide his illness until the point he could barely open his eyes. Lincoln had been used to taking care of himself at the orphanage so letting her dote on him initially had been hard, then he lost Perla a few short years later and he didn't let anyone in for a while. 

"You're not used to this."

"Waking up missing most my clothes?"

"No," Cassandra said and gathered more of the soup on the spoon, "Someone taking care of you, you look like you think I'm gonna kill you."

"Haven't had the need for anyone to take care of me in a long time, in the army you're on your own mostly. I'm just a bit surprised you're so good at it."

"I had a family once." Cassandra said and hummed along to the song on the radio for a short moment. He didn't want to hash up any uncomfortable memories for her, she told him what happened to her family, how there were barely any people left. 

"We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

"I know that, Lincoln, now hush." Cassandra said and continued to feed him. "I was married once."

"Did you like him?" Lincoln asked.

"Loved him but not all men come back from war." Cassandra said, "And I thought I was blessed to have our little girl, she was a memory, she meant that we both had been here, we had done something right. Then she was taken from me too. Needless to say, I know a thing or two about taking care of sick people who won't even admit they're sick."

"I was fine."

"Yeah, until you weren't." Cassandra said and placed the bowl back down on the nightstand. "I'm not a monster, Lincoln. If I was you wouldn't have showed up on my doorsteps."

"I'm not afraid of you, Cassandra."

"Then why do you look so scared? If I wanted to hurt you I would have done it when you passed out on my floor."

"You're...right." He admitted, he hated to admit it. If she had some great, big plan that she was going to put into effect it would have already happened. He would have to stop holding her at arms length eventually, and not just because of this city and their business partnership. Another wave of exhaustion washed over him and it was almost like she could sense it. He fought against it, there was a deep need to tunnel deeper underneath the covers and rest. "Did you make the soup yourself?"

"It was my grandmother's recipe, now quit fighting sleep." Cassandra said and Lincoln listened to her, he rested back against the mountain of pillows and closed his eyes. Everything would have to wait until later, he fell asleep to the sound of Cassandra humming and turning the pages of the borrowed bible. When Lincoln awoke for the second time that night Cassandra was sleep upright but in the chair, it couldn't have been comfortable and he'd slept much longer than he wanted to. There was still work to do, he peered around the dimly lit room and found his clothes on the dresser on the far side of the room. He had one leg in his pants when Cassandra woke up. "You're still sick."

"I'm fine, better than I was when I came in. Couldn't have asked for a better friend."

"We're friends now?" She asked while stretching.

"Yeah, friends take care of each other." He said, she nodded her head, she couldn't disagree with that. When he was fully dressed she handed him the bible on his way out the door. She followed him down the steps and out to the garage. "You following me?"

"Making sure you weren't lying to me and telling me you were fine. Last time I turned my back on you, you passed out."

"Well I'm fine now, and thanks again."

"Don't mention it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been on a roll with Sick/comfort fics. I might write another one where Lincoln takes care of Cassandra, which would be very interesting lol


	9. Life's A Fair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra re-opens Baron Saturdays after rehabilitating and redesigning it. Lincoln comes to see the park and he gets the feeling something is changing between them, but just what is it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I come bearing typical fanfic writer excuses, my computer was wiped clean so everything I had prepared to upload all disappeared including a completely different novel length fic I wanted to upload. Oh well, guess I'll do it again. But with this I wanted to do a believable make out scene with those two, hopefully you enjoy it to anyone who is still reading

"At first I didn't think this was a good idea, re-opening Baron Saturday's." Lincoln said as he walked through the park, it was packed with people, and it had been Cassandra's idea to give the park a major redecoration after draining the rest of the Hollow. It was neither cheap nor easy but Lincoln see that the fruits her campaigning and labor were actually paying off. Baron Saturday's was unlike anything he saw before, instead of the racist idealogy they were forced to swallow as children it was replace with something different that actually detailed some of the less gruesome aspects of life in the rural south. It was truly fun for the family with none of the eye rolls from the parents. 

"Why not?" She asked.

"Place went under and nobody would have missed it, but the Hollow deserves something for itself too." He said and looked at her again, she looked different outside of her shop and the sit downs. She was wearing shorts and a shirt protesting the war with her hair pinned back, she was so different from him and it was surprising that they could tolerate one another for long periods of time.

"Yes, it does." Cassandra said, and stopped by the Ferris Wheel and looked up at the top of it. It spun around and around and Lincoln soon realized why she stopped here. He strung Richie Doucet up here and let the Ferris Wheel do the work, he hoped it had given her some semblance of peace. "Deserves better than Ritchie Doucet ever could have given them."

"Good to know the Hollow is in good hands." Lincoln said and she dragged him over to the gun rack, he placed down the money and she picked up her gun. "You think you can take me on?"

"I didn't go off and fight in a war, but I'm pretty good." Cassandra said and the bell signaled the beginning of it. She knocked down the first row of cans in rapid succession and Lincoln was close behind her. When the bell rang again, signaling the end of the game it was Cassandra who took the prized rubber duck. 

"Can't believe you beat me, they should send you over to 'Nam then."

"They'd have to take me kicking and screaming." She said and led him over towards the food court.

"That'd be a hell of a sight." Lincoln said, he left her at one of the stone tables and returned with a soda and a beer. 

"Who is the soda for?" Cassandra asked as she reached for the beer, he pulled it just out of her reach. When they were at her shop it seemed almost forbidden to play with her like this, Lincoln didn't think toeing this line on their professional and personal relationship would be this easy. Lately he wanted to know who she was not just as a Lieutenant but as a person, he wondered if she felt the same way."I think I've earned the beer."

"And just what the hell was I doing the past few years? Sitting on my hands?" Lincoln asked, he cracked the bottle open on the edge of the stone table and when he moved to drink it she stepped down hard on his booted foot, he stood up quickly trying to bite back the scream that was lodged at the back of his throat and slammed the beer down so hard it broke on the edge of the table. Cassandra braced her hands against the table preparing to run away, the smile on her face meant she considered this a game, she was testing him, wanting to see how far he would go. Cassandra didn't get very far, the sandals didn't allow her to move as quickly as she wanted and it wasn't hard for Lincoln to catch up with her with those long legs of his. 

Lincoln circled one arm around her waist and pulled her behind one of the empty and forgotten concession stands. The ferris wheel continued to spin, the patrons continued to laugh and giggle as they raced to the last of the rides before the park closed, the world went on but for them this moment was frozen in time. Lincoln still had Cassandra pinned between him and the back of the concession stand, she didn't try to move but just placed her hands gently on his chest. 

"Now that wasn't nice." He said and leaned down a bit, they had never been this close and he felt like he was playing with fire right now. Whether Cassandra slapped him right now or kissed him, it meant he wasn't wrong in thinking that something more was happening betwee them.

"No, it wasn't, but I'm not nice."

"I admire that about you." Lincoln said, he hadn't looked away from her and refused to move his arm from around her waist. Cassandra was strong and stood out like a giant among the best of them, but she was soft and warm in his arms and so damn small compared to him right now. These conflicting ideas of just who Cassandra could be and who she was truly to him danced around in his head and only melted away when she dragged her hands down his chest. 

"That all you admire about me, Lincoln?" She asked and moved her hands back up his chest, and up over his neck. For a second she thought could kill him if she wanted to, but hadnt she already done that, killing him with tiny little looks and touches that lasted too long for her to just be his Lieutenant. Lincoln always put it at the back of his mind but he couldn't do it this time, those thoughts he pushed back were looking right at him and tempting him and he was weak enough to give in even if just for a moment. 

He leaned in and kissed her, tasting her and enjoying the way she kissed him back, she wrapped her arms around him pulling him closer, cradling the back of his head with one hand while the other touche the scar that wrapped around the left side of his head. Lincoln lifted her off the ground and wrapped her legs around his waist as he pinned her against the old concession stand. There were years of heated glances and too-close calls between them unraveling just out of the view of the entire Hollow. Lincoln's grip on her waist slipped but she was clinging to him and he didn't mind, he was glad he was able to see this side of her, another facet of Cassandra that she kept hidden from the world. 

"So..." Lincoln said once they finally pulled back from one another for air, "What does this mean?"

"What do you want it to mean, Lincoln?" Cassandra asked, how could she ask him that with her legs wrapped around his waist and that one hand still delicately toying with the smoothe skin of his scar? He never wanted to let her or this moment go, he'd be comfortable here forever if it meant staying with her. She broke out a bright smile followed by that infectious laughter, "I... This.. It feels right, doesn't it?"

"It does." He said and kissed her again, this time he didn't kiss her like his life depended on it. It was just a series of soft, gentle pecks that she returned. "I didn't think you were interested."

"I can't jump my boss at the first chance I get, Lincoln." Cassandra said. 

"Well I don't just have to be your boss, I could be your boyfriend, maybe even your husband."

"Hush talking like that, somebody might take you serious." Cassandra said and unwrapped her legs from around his waist, sliding off of him, she straightened her clothes checking herself over twice before looking up at him. "Coulda-shoulda-wouldas don't work in our world."

"You're right, they don't, we could all be gone tomorrow." Lincoln said and placed his hand on her shoulder, he was reminded again of how small she was. "So would you do me the honor--"

"An honor now is it?" Cassandra said under her breath,

"--Of being my girlfriend." 

"I guess." Cassandra said but looked up at him with a bright smile, he slid his hand down her shoulder and linked their fingers together as they stepped back into view of the rest of the park. As Lincoln suspected, nothing had changed with the rest of the world but so much had with just a few short words. 

"Did you really want that beer?"

"I don't think you understand how stressful it is re-opening and re-designing this amusement park." 

"We can talk about it over dinner if you're available."

"I might be able to squeeze you in tonight."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also if anyone could re-open the park and do it justice, it would be Cassandra, plus it would lead to more money in the Hollow.


	10. Fast Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a Modern AU/College AU. Lincoln is the pride and joy of the campus until he damages Cassandra's car and she opens up his eyes and expands his world a bit more than he would have liked. Will this push them apart or pull them together? And does Cassandra have her own secrets she's hiding?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually ended up falling in love with the idea of Ellis and Cassandra raising hell in New Bordeaux because... could you imagine??? I'm always a sucker for AU's and college AU's have a special place in my heart. I could see Cassandra becoming a journalist, asking the questions no one wants to answer but can't quite dance around either. Hopefully you enjoy my ramblings.

"You sure you need me for this?" Lincoln asked, he had met the girl by mistake, or on purpose, he wasn't sure anymore.  All he knew was that John dared him to throw his football past the parking lot that was as large as the football field. The first ball made flew well past the parking lot but he heard the second ball smash through somebody's windshield. When he turned back John was long gone and a very small, and angry, Haitian Transfer student was storming towards him. Lincoln chose New Bordeaux University because Sammy was on the College Board and thought it would be good if both Ellis and him attend at the same time, possibly pick up a trade of some sort, but Football stuck for Lincoln best. She tried to throw the ball at his face, but he caught it and sat it down. He apologized for the car again and again but she told him he would pay her back, the new car he left in the parking lot for her wasn't good enough apparently. So that's how he found himself near the greeting area handing out ice cream cones for charity while all the freshmen girls and guys gawked and stared.

"It's ice cream, there's worse things I could make you do." Cassandra said.

"I bought you a new car." Lincoln said under his breath. 

"I didn't want a new car, nor did I ask for a car, I wanted my old car to have never been ruined."

"And I replaced the windshield too." Lincoln said but she remained silent, it was her third time giving him the silent treatment today. He was growing tired of this, of her, of this entire College thing. Lincoln had plans on going to visit Roxie in Atlanta, and if she wanted to go with him to California he wouldn't mind. Instead he got roped into this whole thing by his old man but at least he wasn't paying money for this. "So this is the cold shoulder of the Voodoo Queen everyone talks about."

"Who the hell is calling me the Voodoo Queen?" Cassandra asked, she hadn't looked up from the ice cream cone she was preparing.

"Just a name floating around."

"I'm not even..." Cassandra started but he could see her letting the words roll off her back, there was just this tiny hint of irritation in her that wasn't anger. Had Lincoln hurt her feelings? Did girls their age still get their feelings hurt by little names like that? "I just needed your help, you're popular with the rest of the campus. I can't go anywhere without hearing about you."

"You like what you hear?"

"I didn't leave Empire City to get a Degree in Lincoln Clay if that's what you're asking."

"What _are_ you here for?"

"Journalism, mostly."

"Mostly?"

"It's complicated." Cassandra said and collected the money from a few of the students who dropped by the booth, all donations were going to help build homes for the less fortunate.

"Well break it down, you know, I am just a silly little football player, you'll have to use small words." Lincoln said.

"You're nobody's fool." Cassandra said.

"You're the first one to think so."

"A puppet and a fool are different."

"And just who do you think is pulling the string?"

"Word has it your Daddy is on the board and you didn't pay one red cent to come here, says neither you or your brother paid. As long as you play and keep bringing in money for the school you won't have to send in one check."

"And just who is saying that?" Lincoln asked, he crushed the cone in his hand, the waffle cone cracking and the two scoops of vanilla falling to the ground. Cassandra flashed a charming smile at the people waiting in line as she quickly prepared another cone.

"People." Cassandra said and he knew by the way she said it that she wouldn't be expanding on just who were spreading such lies. 

"Interesting." Lincoln said and removed his apron and walked away from the booth quickly.

"Clay! You promised you'd help." Cassandra called out after him.

"I'm a man of my word, I'll be back before you know it." Lincoln said and stormed off, he was going right down to the Hollow to talk to Sammy. Was that what all of this was about? Was this about building something better or did he owe a debt? Sal Marcano may have been on the College board but Lincoln knew they were all thugs, gangsters from 'the good ol' days' as Sammy frequently put it and then never spoke about it again. Today he was going to tell him the truth, about why he was pressuring him to stay here.

* * *

 

By the time Lincoln was done with his enlightening and heart wrenching discussion with Sammy the sun was starting to get low. His hand was still sticky from where he destroyed that ice cream and he thought about Cassandra. He promised her he would go back, the least he could do was try to remain half truthful to his word. How had Cassandra known that? Why hadn't Sammy told him how deep in debt the board was? The debt was mostly paid but still, he had used him when he could have been honest, that hurt the most.

Most of the booths were already torn down but it appeared the last of the customers from Cassandra's booth were winding down. She wasn't alone, there was a Professor beside her, the closer Lincoln got to the booth he could hear them talking.

"... Be wary of young boys and their promises, you are not my child, but your father would be both wary and proud, Cassie. I'm just trying to be there when he can't."

"I guess, how is the old man doing, Emmanuel?" Cassandra asked, she didn't sound nearly as uptight and alert as earlier.

"Working like always, he calls me sometimes." The Professor said, "Looks like your friend has arrived."

"Well, well, Mr. Clay. Nice to grace me with your presence." Cassandra said, the Professor took that as his cue to leave and turned away immediately without addressing Lincoln.

"Sorry, I got caught up." Lincoln said as if that would suffice, for the short amount of time that he knew this coy yet demanding woman none of his excuses worked for her. First her car, now running out on the only she asked of him. He must have been shaping up to be a piss poor excuse of a man in her eyes. Why did he care? Why had she told him that when no one else did? How many other people knew he was the prize horse for the College Board?

"Here." Cassandra said and handed him a cone, it had one scoop of chocolate.

"After all of this you're feeding me?"

"You men need to learn how to relax." Cassandra said and leaned against her booth. The last of the people left the main center, the sun was almost completely snuffed out, an odd purple glow washed over the sky signaling the end of another day. "I thought you knew."

"No, I didn't." Lincoln said, he remembered the way Sammy's smile fell when he told him, Lincoln thought his father only wanted to remain close after Perla passed away. He didn't know he was using him this entire time, he was getting pissed all over again just by thinking about it. "Guess I really am just a stupid ball player."

"I don't think you're stupid."

"Puppet or fool, which one am I now?" He asked.

"You're nobody's fool and you look like you cut your puppet strings today, Mr. Clay." Cassandra said, she looked away to answer a text message from her phone.

"Guess I still owe you one."

"You do." Cassandra said, "First you can carry all this stuff back down to the kitchen, then you can give me an interview with the Star player of New Bordeuax University."

"Did you want some ice cream for yourself?" Lincoln asked, he licked the ice cream, nibbled on it and she hadn't looked away but he did see that same heated look in her eye many of the men and women on campus gave him.

"I don't like ice cream."

"Could have fooled me."

"Can you get a jump on it?" Cassandra said and flashed her phone showing that it was even later than he previously thought. "I don't want to be out on this campus for too much longer, I do have things to do."

"You got a party to be at?"

"I can party _after_ I graduate, I have a quiz to study for and a lecture to prepare for."

"You know what they say about all work and no play."

"You don't know the first thing about me." Cassandra said, and it was true, he tried to get a handle on just who the hell she was but no one seemed to know. The only one who seemed to be close to her was that Theology Professor, Professor Lazare, but he had a personal problem with Sammy from years ago, back when Sammy and Sal were considered thugs. 

"I'd like to find out."

"After not spending the whole day with me you want to get to know me better?" Cassandra asked, she watched as he pushed the car back towards the main dining hall. "I don't know whether to be appreciative or offended."

"Could be both, we're having a get together downtown at the Royal hotel. If you and your friends wanted to drop by, I wouldn't mind."

"My fellow Voodoo Queens wouldn't want to ruin your nice _soiree_ by casting a few spells or raising the dead or whatever else nonsense you think Haitian women do." Cassandra said finally exposing her thick french accent, he knew it was to drive home a point, she wouldn't be had so easily by a man who had offended her a few hours ago and only returned because he saw she was telling the truth. 

"I didn't call you--"

"--But you did say it to my face."

"So I hurt your feelings?" Lincoln asked. 

"It may be very hard for someone as well loved, protected and treasured as yourself, but your words carry weight. I've been dealing with that Voodoo shit my entire life." Cassandra said, she somehow sounded very calm and angry all at once. He felt guilty for even defending his previous statement.

"I'm sorry." Lincoln said under his breath as he rolled the cart into the back of the kitchen, is that what she wanted all this time? It hadn't mattered that he purchased her a new car, or replaced the window on her old car, he had never apologized, had never told her to her face how sorry he was. Lincoln wasn't sure why he was so desperate to have this woman's attention now. Did she turn on some light bulb in his head that were awakening new ideas or was it because she was so far removed from this Sammy situation he felt like he had someone he could talk to who wouldn't pick a side? He didn't know her, no one seemed to know anything about her, maybe it was because she didn't care who he was, who

"What was that?" Cassandra asked.

"I said I'm sorry, alright. I'm sorry about your car, and running out earlier, and calling you the Voodoo Queen. It was fucked up, all of this is fucked up. I fucked up," He said and watched as a bright smile spread across her face, he'd give anything to see her smile like that at him like that for forever. Apologizing had never had that effect on anyone before.

"You actually apologized." Cassandra said and shook her head.

"I meant it too."

"I can see that." Cassandra said.

"So are you and your friends going to come through to the Royal hotel tonight?" Lincoln asked, it would be easier to get to know her if he was able to unwind for a moment.

"You apologized but you are still yourself," Cassandra said but it didn't sound like a compliment, neither did the way she twisted her face up and rolled her eyes. She finally looked at him again but folded her arms acorss her chest, "And I wasn't lying either, I do have a quiz and a lecture tomorrow."

"Blow it off."

"Can't do that."

"Why not?"

"My Dad's on the Board too, he wouldn't appreciate me, blowing off classes, as you put it, to hang out with boys in their hotel room." Cassandra said.

"Your Dad's on the board? Then why lay into me like that earlier?" Lincoln asked, Cassandra could have said anything else and he would have believed her. After all this her father was also on the board as well? Maybe she wasn't unknowingly slaving away a debt but she was apart of this privileged party as well.

"I am a journalist."

"So this was all for a story?" Lincoln asked, his voice rising slightly.

"Oh, spare me the naivete. You weren't inviting me up to a hotel because you're interested in getting to know me better." Cassandra said.

"Maybe we should start over, get to know each other." Lincoln said after a deep breath of air, all Cassandra said had been true. He wasn't looking for sex but if it happened he wouldn't turn her down. He wasn't sure what he wanted but knew he needed something to force down this uneasiness growing inside him since Sammy admitted that he had been using Lincoln. He hoped Cassandra could be that person, but knew from the way she cocked one eyebrow at him and scowled that she would never allow herself to be balm to soothe his soul.

"Promise you won't do any damage to my car this time?" Cassandra asked, her scowl was quickly replaced with a friendly smile.

"Promise, I'll even stay away from the parking lot this time." Lincoln said and then cleared his throat, "I'm Lincoln Clay, my father is Sammy Robinson, he's on the college board."

"And I'm Cassandra," She said, he could see she was struggling, he wondered what was so damned hard about getting to know someone. "My father is Stefan Jean-Coute, he's on the College Board."

"The Head of the Haitian Mob?" Lincoln asked.

"Do you really want to bark up that tree?" Cassandra asked and narrowed her eyes into thin slits, no, there was no need to dig up Sammy's very sordid past with the Mob.

"It's nice to meet you, Ms. Jean-Coute." Lincoln said, "Now give me your phone number."

"Excuse me?" Cassandra said, she would have stepped backwards if she wasn't already leaning against the counter.

"You said something about an interview, I'd need your number to call and let you know."

"You're...right." She said, it was the first time this whole damned difficult week that she had conceded something, even a small tiny bit. He wasn't sure if it was because she wanted to or had to, Cassandra had a way of knowing where he was and popping up at the most inopportune moments. Cassandra scribbled down her number quickly and moved to hand it to him, his large hand covering hers but she refused to let go of the paper. "Lincoln, don't go around telling people who my father is, they might get the wrong idea."

"You surprise me more and more with each second, girl." LIncoln said and grabbed the paper from her hand and headed towards the door, "And I'll tell you all about my four year plan, and what teams I'm looking at for the NFL."

"Nothing wrong with a plan." Cassandra said and followed behind him.

"Sounds good on paper, doesn't it?" Lincoln said, he hadn't even told Sammy about the offers he had received but he had a feeling his old man already knew.

"Who's your girlfriend, Lincoln?" John asked as they left the back of the kitchen, Lincoln hadn't expected John and Ellis to be waiting on him.

"This is Cassandra, and she's not my girlfriend." Lincoln said.

"Then that mean she's available." Ellis said and dusted imaginary dust off his shirt as he stepped forward.

"She's busy, she's got a test and lecture to study for." Lincoln said.

"And she knows just how to turn down my naive brother? Truly wifey material." Ellis said and placed his hand over his chest.

"Lincoln said you guys had a party to get to, I'd hate to hold you up." Cassandra said.

"Come on, I know a pretty girl like you has to have lots of friends, bring 'em on down to the Royal Hotel." John said, Lincoln was confused by the way Cassandra was flushing and blushing. He damn near had to bare his soul to get a smile, he was pretty damned put out at the moment. Maybe he was just used to getting his way and liked being the center of attention, still it rubbed him the wrong way. "Forget the zero, get with a hero."

"As tempting as the offers are, I do need to study." Cassandra said and moved past them and headed out of the dining hall. Lincoln hadn't realized he was watching her walk away, only when John smacked him in the back of the head did he realize where all his attention was focused.

"What the hell was that for?" Lincoln asked as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Nuh uh, you don't get to fall in love. I spent a lot of time on the invitations, finding the perfect people for this shindig. I need you focus on having a good time, not some girl, we're not turning this into another sad Roxy situation." John said.

"I just want to get shitfaced. You can worry about the Voodoo Queen later." Ellis said.

"Her name is Cassandra." Lincoln corrected, John and Ellis looked at each other sharing a similar puzzled look and then looked back at Lincoln.

"You're whipped and she doesn't even want to talk to you." John said and covered his face, screaming into his hand before heading towards the exit. "Your brother is hopeless."

"Tell me something I don't know." Ellis said and Lincoln chased after them trying to put thoughts of Cassandra behind him so he could focus on his night.


	11. Bender

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Cassandra were a guy and Lincoln were a gal? Would that change the dynamics that much? No one asked but here I am giving it to you once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't even have any excuses, I'm just shitty about updating most of my stories.

"The walls can hold themselves up, they don't need any help." Bryce said, he never thought he'd see the day when he would be able to look Sammy's daughter in the face. She was the pride and joy of the Hollow, everyone knew her, but she left for better opportunities abroad. How those opportunities turned into working for the CIA, Bryce was still unsure, but he never thought they would be friends. So much still remained unspoken of, but mayber it was for the best, everything in due time, right? He could feel her eyes moving over him, she studied him whenever she thought he wasn't looking, which was all the time.

The first time they came face to face was in the Bayou. Things hadn't worked out for Baka, it was a shame, he even liked Baka but he knew the role he had to play. Bryce ripped his shirt, cut himself across the face, he never expected the cut to go that deep. Sometimes he touched the scar that went from his ear all the way down to his chin. Maya hadn't known who he was but no one did, maybe it was better that way, even when he tried to be honest he could see her waiting for the other shoe to drop. It was only cold, hard, brutal honesty that she seemed to understand.

When Sal Marcano finally made it clear what he thought of Sammy, Ellis and Maya, they met again under much more dire circumstances and that was to take that old fuck down. Bryce scratched her back and she scratched his, at first he was skeptical, waiting for Maya to turn on him, on the entire Hollow, but the moment never came. Sometimes Maya showed up at his humble shop, The Crossroads, and sat, sometimes they talked and other times she did things like this, just stood in the shadows waiting on him to say something to her first.

"I can see that." Maya said.

"Did you need something or did you come to stare at me?" Bryce asked, Maya was a beautiful woman, taller than most with those large expressive eyes, but beautiful women were always dangerous and came at a price. Was Maya worth the price? Was she worth his life and the illusion of safety he built off the burned remains of his past life?

"Been meaning to ask you something."

"Of course you have, so ask away."

"Would you ever leave everything behind?"

"Is that your very nice way of asking me to step down?"

"Of course not. We're friends, right?"

"Friends trust each other, and you do not trust me, not the way you should." Bryce said, he looked up to see his words had moved her. She shuffled from side to side and folded her arm across her chest before finally stepping out of the shadows and into the light of his shop. "But If I had to leave it behind I would."

"But not by choice." Maya said, she approached his counter like she always did, trying to look powerful and forboding. Bryce knew what a terror she could be, he sat in that church while she mowed down his men and he let Baka die by her hand, there was no need for her to try to scare him. He knew what lines to toe and cross with her.

"Why would I leave when you're here?" Bryce said, he liked the way she blushed, how it spread out evenly across her entire face. It was also incredibly easy to see just how young she was during those moments, he was but a few years older than her but so much wiser in the way of the world. Did it take just a few kind words to sway her? Then again when she smiled at him his heart beat so fast he could hardly control it. He hadn't even felt this intense of a connection with Caroline's mother and he loved that woman, too much sometimes. "You gonna make an honest man out of me?"

"Just asking." She said and blushed even harder than usual.

"You came all this way to ask me that?"

"Your men got the guns outback, you ever gonna tell me what this whole gun thing is about? I keep risking my neck to get them, I feel like you can tell me now." She said but he knew she wouldn't budge, he wished he had a cigarette. He feels agitated just thinking about it. Every night the visions play out in his mind. Caroline. Sandy. Racist motherfuckers. Hooch. The guns. The fire. It plays like a movie where he's both the audience and the star and can't changed a damn thing about.

"I had a wife, I had a daughter, I had family, so much family and then one day I didn't." He thought about Caroline, her bright brown eyes, how she liked to climb trees and how hard he worked to stay on the straight and narrow to give her the life he never could have. He thought about Sandy too, his beautiful wife and her striking gaze with those eyes that were as dark as the night sky. It was only a few years but it felt like an entire life time. He was a different person, a new man with a new name and semi-new identity. "Maybe if we had the guns back then instead of coddling and waiting to be given the rights to own them I could have protected my family. Now they're all gone."

"Bryce, I'm..shit. I'm sorry." She said, now she was blushing for a different reason. If only Maya knew how much he longed for his family and how she had slowly began to to fill that spot. Could he ever tell her? Could he trust her when everyone in this damn city was trying to groom her to be something she didn't want to be. She wanted revenge, she wanted to do this for Sammy and Ellis, didn't seem like she understood that she would be running things, the city would be hers. She would be target number one, not just by the Mafias but the entire nation, a black woman running things in a southern city rarely panned out well. White folks wouldn't like it. Men wouldn't like it. They'd punish her, but if he could shield her or even guide her just a little bit he would.

"I know, but don't be. Get those guns, help the families around here. They need us."

"So there's an us now?"

"If that's what you want, Maya." He said and stroked the scar on his face, "But I don't think that's quite what brings you here, not even the guns, you rarely hang around. I'm sure that little white boy would be more than willing to entertain you for a while?"

"Jay isn't who I came to see." She said. "I hoped you wouldn't mind sitting with me, maybe talking."

"About territories?" 

"No, about something else. Anything unrelated to this city, to all this mess." She said and braced her hands against the counter, Bryce should have told her to leave, that he wasn't just a diversion because she was bored and inexperienced in the way of the world. He didn't, he swallowed those harsh words and grabbed his coat. He remembered how broken she appeared the first time he had been too harsh. There was no need for them to lash out at each other, at least not yet.

"Where are you going?"

"There is a poker game, would you like to go? We don't have to even talk about work if you don't want to."

"Emmanuel said you had a pretty good hand." She said and her face lit up, whatever demons that haunted her were temporarily silenced.

"I will have to remember to give him a raise then."

"He also said you had a good poker face." Maya said, "I think mine is beter."

"We'll see then." He said and held the door open for her and waited for her to pass through first before following behind her. Maya typically wore her emotions and intent on her face, he expected for her to give in before the first thirty minutes passed, but it would take her mind off the city and he would be able to keep his eyes on her for a little bit.


	12. Perla's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lincoln goes to check in on Cassandra and make sure everything's alright, even thought she preferred he didn't. They're getting close again, closer than she'd like.

"Have you eaten?" Lincoln asked, Cassandra looked up from the mountain of paperwork and sighed. He appeared at the club every few days and sometimes once a week if he was busy. Since he took over the city Cassandra handled all the philanthropic work for the Hollow. That meant spending weeks on end pouring over contracts and writing grants to create opportunities where there were none. Cassandra chose Perla's to handle most of her work, she wouldn't be bothered as easy as she would be at her shop. However Lincoln was one of the few people who didn't have to knock in this place.

"I ate on... What day is it, again?"

"That's not good, Cass."

"Who told you to call me that?" She asked, he had never called her anything other than Cassandra, at least, to her face.

"I figured we were partners. You could call me a nickname if you wanted to."

"I have quite a few names for you, none of which you would probably like."

"You need to take breaks, go outside get some fresh air."

"These proposals won't write themselves, Lincoln."

"You sound like her sometimes."

"Like who?" Cassandra asked, she figured it was the polite thing to do.

"Mom. Perla. My mom." He said, he struggled with which name he wanted to use. Cassandra heard lots about Perla, that was before Sammy let the Hollow go to hell, that was before the cancer finally took her, leaving only a husk of the woman she had been before. "She worked late...here...often. She forgot to even go home sometimes, we'd end up spending the night here when Sammy had to work late."

"Well we don't have any children together so there's nothing to worry about there." She said and reached for the box of food but he pulled just out of her reach.

"We'd have nice looking kids."

"Is that an offer, Mr. Clay? Why, every girl in the Hollow would be jealous of me, some the girls too." She said but looked down at her paper. Why was he acting odd suddenly? Lincoln always flirted, said things that was meant to get her hot and keep her that way but she wasn't sure why this bothered her that much. Why did he bring up Perla and kids? Why the hell was he bringing her food from across town when there was a Cook downstiars?

"Every man in the Hollow would line up to fight me." He said and slid the food to her.

"I'd believe it when I see it." She said and reached out and grabbed the food as her eyes moved back to the proposals and contracts.

"How about you just focus on the food, and put the work aside?"

"I'm a big girl, Lincoln. I can handle myself."

"But you're not..."

"I go to the meetings, I keep my men in line, I focus on my territorities and my rackets. What am I not doing?" She asked, she wanted to ask him why he cared so much but she knew she wouldn't like the answer. Why did he have to pop up at the most inopportune moments?

"Taking care of yourself."

"I'm fine." She said again, this time more insistent that it was the truth. She wanted it to be the truth, wasn't that good enough?

"You're not eating."

"I'm eating now." She said as she cracked open the food and took a big bite of the rice inside. "Since when are you so worried?"

"We're a family."

"Are we now?"

"Yes."

"When are we going to schedule Burke's intervention?"

"No time soon."

"So this isn't about the family, it's about me, and probably you too." She said and focused on the food and him. Lincoln flirted and teased but she tried her best not to encourage him. She was the only woman and knew Burke and Vito had their own assumptions of what went on behind closed doors, thinking maybe she gave parts of herself to secure properties. She toed that line with Lincoln carefully, business and pleasure was like water and oil it didn't mix well.

"Just a little." He said and sat silently, finally sinking down into the seat and relaxing as he watched her eat. "The kitchen is right downstairs."

"No one could have told me two years ago Lincoln Clay would be sweet enough to lay into me about missing a meal or two."

"I'm not laying into you the way I want."

"Is that so?" Cassandra asked but didn't look up, she was still upset he was here at all, she wouldn't give into his word play, well, not this early into the conversation.

"I didn't mean it... Not that way."

"Tell me more about her."

"About who?"

"Perla." Cassandra said, "I heard stories about her, knew she was a hell of a woman, but I was a girl when she passed away."

"Perla was the only girl in a family with seven boys, she was the oldest and always knew when to take charge. She took care of every last one of her brothers, managed to make enough to send them all to school. Then she made sure the Hollow had enough, she was always doing something, if it wasn't here, then it was at the club, or at one of the soup kitchens." Lincoln smiled as he remembered her, she was one of the most caring people he ever met in the world. She welcomed him with open arms and it wasn't long before he lost her. "The good ones always go sooner than you'd think."

"I hear that a lot." Cassandra said and stood up, she walked around the desk leaving him there as she took a stack of papers and headed into the next room. Lincoln followed slowly behind her, he was surprised to see her laid out on the couch, looking over the handful of papers. "Just gonna stand over me the whole time?"

"Not enough space for both of us."

"We can make room." She said and stood up for a moment, he repositioned him until he was comfortable, one leg slung over the edge of the couch while he slid one pillow behind his head. Cassandra sat down on the tiny bit of space left on one of the cushions. Lincoln looped one arm around her waist and pulled her back against him. She relaxed against him, looking at the papers as she rested her head against his chest. "You remind of Perla."

"Does that make you Sammy?" She said

"At one time there was nothing I wanted more than to be him, but I think I'm a little better, and I think he'd like that."

"Me too." She said and they stayed like that for a while until she heard Lincoln's breathing deepen, it seemed she wasn't the only one neglecting their needs. She returned to her desk, her mountain of responsibilties and her chinese takeout and continued to sign and edit the grants as she felt they were needed. Every hour or so she'd smile to herself as she peered in the next room, it had been a while since someone cared enough to check up on her. It felt nice, she liked this feeling. It reminded her of her youth, Haiti, playing hopscotch long after dark with her sister, or her daughter Caroline.

"Need a ride home?" Lincoln asked from the other room.

"Thought you'd never ask."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the game I enjoyed the soft parallel between Lincoln and Cassandra becoming Sammy and Perla. I thought it would be even more fitting if she did most of her philanthropic work out of Perla's, especially since it's a place so close to Lincoln's heart.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lincoln comes to some startling conclusions involving the Voodoo Queen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm bad at updating, forgive me.

The Hollow loves Cassandra more than they ever loved Sammy and Lincoln isn't sure how he feels about that. He loves Cassandra too, for all their sordid past and things that did and didn't occur between them, she's too charismatic and charmingly defiant not to love. She's the fire in the heart of every woman he's ever loved, Perla included. She's the unspoken voice of those in the Hollow that he had listened to as a child. She cares, really cares, in a way Sammy probably never could. Lincoln knows what it is, what those quacks over at Langley would call it. He fears that his father's reputation and memory will crumble and fade and so will his own. After all he knows deep down in his heart Cassandra isn't just what Delray Hollow deserves but all of New Bordeaux.

"You're avoiding me." Cassandra said, he looked up from the mountain of paperwork and sighed. Who knew Sal was in charge of all of this? He thought it was just money, drugs, killing, kissing babies and opening restaurants. This is different, he has the ability to change this entire city with the stroke of the pen but knows he has the ability to damn them all with the same stroke.

"I've been working." Lincoln said and referenced to the work in front of him.

"You've been doing it long before this."Cassandra said and walked around his desk taking a seat on the corner of it. "We good?"

"Six months ago I would have told you no." Lincoln said.

"It's not six months ago, Clay. It's now. This can't work if we're not a team, if we're not honest." Cassandra said sounding sincere, it was the way she wielded her words making them sound so warm and cloying that always alarmed him, for once he had no reason not to distrust her. She handled her districts well, took care of the money and even dropped in to see him. He wanted to trust her but knew once he let his guard down fully there was no going back. Lincoln tapped his pen on the paper before him a few times before staring outside the door of his office. "You don't have to say yes, I just need to know where we stand."

"We're good, Cassandra."

"I don't believe you."

"That's your problem." He said and cleared his throat and moved onto the next page of the proposal.  
"No, it's our problem." Cassandra said. "You started treating me funny, you don't even drop by the shop anymore."

"What if I told you I was a busy man?"

"Busy enough to make time for drinks with Vito and Burke?" Cassandra questioned.

"You got me there." Lincoln said. "The Hollow's changing a lot these days and..."

"Wait, this is about the Hollow?" Cassandra questioned and looked genuinely puzzled.

"It's changing for the better, I can see that. Hell, half of these are your proposals." Lincoln said.

"You don't think I'm trying to pull a fast one, do you?" Cassandra asked.

"Old habits die hard." Lincoln said and shrugged while signing the bottom of the page.

"I'm not trying to change anything or take anything from you, or Perla, or Ellis or even ya Daddy." Cassandra said and slipped off his "There's room in the Hollow for both of us, right?"

"Of course." Lincoln said and turned his chair to face her. "Maybe enough room in all of New Bordeaux."

"Maybe." Cassandra said and stood there for a moment staring at him, studying him the way she did when she thought no one was paying attention. When she found whatever she was looking for she stepped forward, her knees bumping against his own. "I'm not trying to erase Sammy, just leave a mark of my own. Let there be something for the future to hold onto."

"I know." Lincoln said and moved and stretched out his legs, he had always teased John about being holed up behind a desk but being hidden away behind a desk was no fun on his long legs. "You're a good woman with mostly good motives."

"I'll be sure to write this little compliment in my diary tonight."

"Good to know you think about me when you're all alone in that big house."

"You're toeing a dangerous line, Clay."

"I've been told that once or twice." He said and stared up at her, he loved her like the rest of the Hollow and disliked her for a reason he didn't want to admit yet, but he knew what the quacks over at Langley who wanted to evaulate his every word would say, they'd say he liked her a lot but he was afraid to act on it. If she peeled back the layers of Lincoln Clay, would she find him lacking? Would he be enough for the Voodoo Queen?

"I'm starting to think you like being left alone, holed up in your little office near the white folk." Cassandra said.

"No, no one wants to be alone, not for long." He said and he saw whatever cool facade she usually wore break, but just for a second. He saw it in her, the same curiosity, dislike and need that he felt deep down when he laid down to rest at night.

"I'll see you at the next meeting." Cassandra said and scowled and turned away from him and he didn't have to wonder what she was thinking and neither of them needed to say anything, but he did just for the hell of it.

"Maybe sooner. Maybe I'll drop by the shop."

"Maybe I'd like that." She said and headed out the door, and he knew they were both toeing a dangerous line now. Business and pleasure were seperate for a reason, they complicated things and they were already a complicated pair of people, they didn't need to invite that type of trouble, did they? Lincoln turned back around and looked at the proposals and got back to work, he had a city to keep running.


	14. City is yours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lincoln has something he wants to tell Cassandra.

The sound of the crickets and the sway of the water from the bayou lapping at the base of the pier surrounded them. Lincoln looked down at his clothes, he faired better than Cassandra had. The shotgun was still hot with a thin covering of powder on it. She had killed someone before he could stop her, she shouldn't have had to do any of that if he was around to do that for her. He heard her moving around the side of the car still and turned his attention back to the swamp which was running red as the gators tore some man to pieces under the water.

"Decent yet?" Lincoln asked and took a toke from the joint between his fingers.

"As I'll ever be." Cassandra said and he turned and looked, she was covered in black from head to toe, all she was missing was a beret.

"You clean up good."

"Wouldn't have to clean up if you didn't have such a bleeding heart." She said irritably.

"He was a boy, Cassandra." Lincoln said, he knew it wouldn't sway her but that's all he saw. A scared young man with a gun in his hand, how many times had he seen that abroad?

"We can argue that another day when these white folk give our boys the same judgement." Cassandra said and stood beside him looking out over the water. "So before we were so rudely interrupted by whoever that was, what did you call me all the way out here to tell me?"

"I've been thinking..." He started and took another toke on the joint.

"Now that's truly dangerous." Cassandra said and reached up taking the joint from him. "I love standing out in the middle of the bayou waiting to get killed by the klan as much as the next black woman, but tell me why we're here some time today, please."

"We've secured all of New Bordeaux and we're moving on to bigger pastures."

"Word has it there's a spot opening up in Georgia. The Commission is slipping up, folks are dying and going to jail." Cassandra said and took a toke from the joint and watched as the Gators poked their head above the water,

"That's true, and I can't be everywhere at once."

"What are you saying, Lincoln?"

"I want you to keep an eye on New Bordeaux while we branch out."

"City isn't going to take too kindly to this, a non-christian black woman running things."

"Didn't take kindly to me either, but they adjusted. The world around is changing, they'll just have to get with the times or get run over."

"Never heard truer words." Cassandra said and Lincoln took the joint from her hands and began to smoke it, "So if you're in Georgia that means we won't be spending as much time together."

"Yes, you've finally managed to get rid of me." Lincoln said and blew out the smoke, "No more midnight trips to the Bayou."

"Didn't say I hated them."

"Don't tell me I've finally grown on you." Lincoln said.

"To think I almost put a bullet between your eyes." Cassandra said and when she looked back to him he was already staring at her.

"I was just thinking the same thing." Lincoln said.

"That all you thinking about?" Cassandra asked, of course it wasn't when Cassandra was involved. Their relationship would always be tense, personal, and confusing, and this layer of disturst and mutual attraction that bound them would be the same thing that forced them to keep their emotional distance.

"I'm a busy man with a lot on my mind."

"Busy enough to drag me down the Bayou for something you could have told me over the phone?"

"If there's one thing I know it's that I can't make you do a damn thing you don't want to." Lincoln said and turned and handed her the joint, her fingers brushing against his own again. He was always surprised by how soft her hands were, hadn't she just blew off that poor boys face. She didn't have the hands of a murderer, nor did she have the face of one. Big brown beautiful eyes, a kind smile and thick, soft lips. John had jokingly called her a honeypot, but there was nothing she would gain from this. He had given her the key to the city, what more could she get? Vito would be joining him in Georgia and he would be sending Burke out to California to set up. "Right?"

"Right." She said and took the joint from his hand and turned on her heels and began walking back towards her car.

"We could get something to eat...since you're still awake... I ... we shouldn't waste this night." Lincoln said, "If you want."

"You're paying."

"Of course I am," Lincoln said and rushed to catch up with her, "The person who initiates the date always pays."

"This is not a date, Clay." Cassandra said and stopped and leaned against his car and he stood in front of her. "I don't date."

"You're the boss now, boss." Lincoln said and reached for the car door but Cassandra didn't move or flinch away from him like she usually did. She'd jump or stare daggers at him until he backed away, this time that apprehension melted away, maybe this was their moment when the tension, distrust and confusion melted away giving birth to something new and beautiful altogether. "You can do all types of things you never thought you would."

"With your permission, of course?" Cassandra questioned as Lincoln tossed the rest of the lit joint into the wet grass.

"You've never cared about my permission before." He said and placed his other hand on car window.

"Shut up, Lincoln." Cassandra said and reached up pulling him close by the collar of his shirt and kissing him. The sound of the crickets and the the pull and tug from the water in the bayou surrounded them, it was better than he dreamed it would be. She was rough but her body was soft against his own. He wanted more than she was willing to give him, but this was enough for now. He lifted her with ease sitting her on the hood of the car when she finally decided to let his shirt go.

"Cassandra, that was--"

"A good start." Cassandra said and pushed him away from her and headed to the passenger side of the car, "Now where are you taking me this late at night?"

"Wherever you want to go." He said and rushed around the side of the car, getting inside and turning on the engine. He'd kiss plenty of people but sparks still danced under his skin, he felt electrified, whatever was happening between them would be beautiful and life changing or deadly and catastrophic. He turned and looked at her as she nibbled on her bottom lip and quickly took his attention back to not crashing the car. "Where do you want to go?"

"Never thought you'd ask." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like to think as they spread out across the south Cassandra gets control of New Bordeaux and the world knows better than to cross her.


End file.
